Hello all,
I am hoping one of you experts out their has a solution to my Geo Fix Problem. About 1 year ago I layed some crazy paving for a patio area and used Geo Fix BUFF for jointing. Soon after doing so I noticed it got really dirty quite easily, and a year on it is horrible looking. I washed it and lightly power washed it to no avail, still looks bad. I swear I will NEVER EVER use this Geo Fix stuff again, especially BUFF. Looks great at the start but weathers badly. I am going to try re-joint the whole thing again because the slabs still look fine and it has the potential to look very well. Any advice for removing geo fix? Also what would be the best type of jointing to use for crazy paving. And finally if I get through this unbelievable task what type sealer is best to bring up the colour in the stone.
Please Help.
Rgds,
Alan O'Reilly
Dirty geo fix problem - Jointing
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Tony McC
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- Location: Warrington, People's Republic of South Lancashire
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As far as I know, there's no way of 'cleaning-up' dirty GeoFix. A couple of weeks ago I did speak to someone at DeGussa about ongoing problems with GeoFix and they promised to get the GeoFix expert to contact me and respond to a series of 'concerns' I have regarding this product, but, as yet, I'm still waiting.
As for removing it, this really shouldn't be too difficult because the damned stuff doesn't bond to the paving, just to itself, so it comes loose very, very easily. You should be able to root it out with a large screwdriver or even an old putty knife.
If you want to try an alternative polymeric product, I'm getting good reports about a product called Romex. I've a couple of trials going on with it at the moment and hope to have a more detailed report on its efficacy before the summer. I know it is available in Ireland, via McMonagle Stone and via Tobermore, and there may well be other outlets for it by now, as it's a couple of months since I had a chat with the UK/RoI distributor. It comes in a range of colours and grain sizes, and, for me at least, looks very, very promising. The most important benefit it brings is that it does actually bond to the paving and is therefore more suitable for setts.
However, if you fancy having a go with a traditional mortar, follow the advice given in the Pointing Section of the website and you won't go far wrong.
Regarding the sealer: what type of flags are these? Imported sandstone? Liscannor? Granite? Quartzite? Limestone? Or just the usual concrete flags?
As for removing it, this really shouldn't be too difficult because the damned stuff doesn't bond to the paving, just to itself, so it comes loose very, very easily. You should be able to root it out with a large screwdriver or even an old putty knife.
If you want to try an alternative polymeric product, I'm getting good reports about a product called Romex. I've a couple of trials going on with it at the moment and hope to have a more detailed report on its efficacy before the summer. I know it is available in Ireland, via McMonagle Stone and via Tobermore, and there may well be other outlets for it by now, as it's a couple of months since I had a chat with the UK/RoI distributor. It comes in a range of colours and grain sizes, and, for me at least, looks very, very promising. The most important benefit it brings is that it does actually bond to the paving and is therefore more suitable for setts.
However, if you fancy having a go with a traditional mortar, follow the advice given in the Pointing Section of the website and you won't go far wrong.
Regarding the sealer: what type of flags are these? Imported sandstone? Liscannor? Granite? Quartzite? Limestone? Or just the usual concrete flags?
Site Agent - Pavingexpert
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AlanOReilly
- Posts: 4
- Joined: Mon May 10, 2004 11:23 pm
Tony,
Thanks for the advice. Seems everyone I talk to about GeoFix is aware of somekind of problem with it. I will check out that 'Romex' product and see what shades it is available in. Is there a "Romex" website?
At this point I have already removed all the GeoFix and it wasn't that hard, used a Drill with a Wire Wheel attached and it came out no prob, your right it only binds to itself and not the patio flags. In some parts it came out in chunks. The type of crazy paving is Donegal Quartz, which is quite a nice stone when wet so I dropped out to my local patio center and bought the correct sealer which is made by a company called Anachem "Liquid Diamond Sealer". Now just to get the pointing done again.
Not to keep harping on about the GeoFix product but it states the it should not be used in "Wet Conditions". Does this include if there is a slight dampness in between stones, or are we talking about pools of water and rainy conditions here. Is Romex the same? Any further information would be great! Living in Ireland I'll be waiting a while for sunshine, summer fell on a Tuesday last year, as far as I remember! ha ha. Can't imagine how a contracter could afford to keep waiting for dry sunny days to apply this stuff.
Thanks
Thanks for the advice. Seems everyone I talk to about GeoFix is aware of somekind of problem with it. I will check out that 'Romex' product and see what shades it is available in. Is there a "Romex" website?
At this point I have already removed all the GeoFix and it wasn't that hard, used a Drill with a Wire Wheel attached and it came out no prob, your right it only binds to itself and not the patio flags. In some parts it came out in chunks. The type of crazy paving is Donegal Quartz, which is quite a nice stone when wet so I dropped out to my local patio center and bought the correct sealer which is made by a company called Anachem "Liquid Diamond Sealer". Now just to get the pointing done again.
Not to keep harping on about the GeoFix product but it states the it should not be used in "Wet Conditions". Does this include if there is a slight dampness in between stones, or are we talking about pools of water and rainy conditions here. Is Romex the same? Any further information would be great! Living in Ireland I'll be waiting a while for sunshine, summer fell on a Tuesday last year, as far as I remember! ha ha. Can't imagine how a contracter could afford to keep waiting for dry sunny days to apply this stuff.
Thanks
Alan From Ireland
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Tony McC
- Site Admin
- Posts: 8346
- Joined: Mon Jul 05, 2004 7:27 pm
- Location: Warrington, People's Republic of South Lancashire
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There may be a dedicated UK/RoI site for Romex in the next few weeks (Herr Bert who owns the company is looking into it, he tells me) but the main website comes in both German and English language flavours (along with Frenchese, Russki, Viking, Scandiwegian and a host of others....
http://www.romex-pfm.de/
Geo-Fix, as far as I know, is afraid of the damp and the flags really do need to be bone dry for the damned stuff to bind (if 2bind" is an truly accurate description of what it does). Romex Pflasterfugenmortel (don't those Germans have a way with words!!) is not scared of a bit or rain in the least and there's even a water-permeable flavour.
http://www.romex-pfm.de/
Geo-Fix, as far as I know, is afraid of the damp and the flags really do need to be bone dry for the damned stuff to bind (if 2bind" is an truly accurate description of what it does). Romex Pflasterfugenmortel (don't those Germans have a way with words!!) is not scared of a bit or rain in the least and there's even a water-permeable flavour.
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